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M C1 1, 6 W. WILMINGTON.

METHOD OF CASTING GAR WHEELS No. 315,872. Patented Apr. 14, 1885.

IN'VENTOR ATTORNEYS.

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\VILLIAM IVILMINGTON, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

METHOD OF CAFsTlNG CAR=VVHEELS.

SBPECIFIUATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 315,872, dated April 14, 1885.

Application filed March .2, 1895.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM \VILMINGTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at T0- ledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Methods of Casting Car-W'heels, or" which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, showing a central section of a car-wheel mold.

This invention relates to an improvement upon a method of casting car-wheels upon which Letters Patent of the United States were granted me December 9, 1884. That method consists in placing gradually in the current of molten iron in the receiving-basin of the mold during the casting of the wheel rich finelypowdered ferro manganese, the same to be melted and disseminated by the inherent heat in the molten iron in the current and basin. This method, in modifying the chilling properties of the iron composing different parts of car-wheels by incorporating ferro-manganese in the same, increases the strength of the same greatly; but at times there are objections to this method. Small portions of the ferro-manganese at the latter part of the filling of the mold enter the same in an unmelted state, owing to the rapid inflow of molten iron, and this ferro'manganese is carried with the iron and lodged in the same around the axle-opening, and it being very hard when in a solid condition it makes it difficult to bore the car-wheel correctly.

The object of my improvement is to regulate and facilitate the melting of rich ferro-manganese before entering the mold, and to incorporate the elements of the same in varying quantities in different parts of a car-wheel, and more particularly the element of manganese, because it is known that while proper proportions of manganese impart strength to cast-irons used for chilled-tread car-wheels, it will also, when in excess in the same, affect injuriously the tread of the same, causing the iron forming the surface of the tread to crumble or disintegrate by use. Therefore I limit the quantity of the ferro-manganesein the iron forming the tread and flange parts of the carwheels.

In the drawing, A represents a car-wheel mold such as may be used in carrying out my invention.

(No model.)

I In carrying my invention into effect I melt in a cupola in the ordinary manner the desired quantity of suitable chill-hardening cast-irons. This, after melting, is drawn into the reservoir-ladle. Then from this, trial-pieces are cast, and from the appearance of these is determined the quantity of rich ferromanganese that will be required to produce the desired effect upon the iron forming the different parts of the car-wheel. I then take from the reservoir-ladle into the pouring-ladle the required quantity of molten iron to cast a single carwheel. Then at the time of or just before commencing to fill the mold of a car-wheel, I place in the pouring-ladle with the molten iron the required quantity of rich ferromanganese, the same being reduced from a pig or cake condition to diiierent degrees of fineness, which may be designated as being fine particles, coarse powdered, and granulated or piece conditions. The finest portions of the form-manganese melt and disseminate by the inherent heat of the molten iron in the pouringladle first, and, being in mixture with the molten iron first entering the mold, it fills that part of the mold forming the tread and flange of the car-wheel most subject to wear. The inflow of the molten iron being continuous, the

remaining portions or larger particles of the ferromanganese melt at a later period and disseminate in their order of fineness, filling the remaining parts of the tread, plate, and hub portions of the mold of the wheel.

By commencing to cast the car-Wheel before the ferro -manganese has all become homogeneous with the molten iron in the pouringladle, I am enabled to incorporate with the molten iron forming different parts of the carwheel varying quantities of the elements contained in rich ferro-manganese, thereby securing to the iron forming the hub and inner plate parts of the car-wheel the desirable qualities of softness and strength, and durability to the tread of the wheel.

Practice has shown that Very beneficial results can be produced upon different parts of the ordinary sized chilled-tread cast-iron carwheel by the use of about one and one-half pound of eighty per cent. ferro-manganese by my method; but I do not confine myself to any particular quantity or quality, but I use such quantities and qualities that practice shows produce the best results upon the irons used for'the different character of car-wheels being cast by my method.

I am aware that there are anumber of Eng grees of fineness and then placed to be melted and combined by the inherent heat in molten malleable and cast-iron and steel in furnaces, crucibles, and ladles, or other vessels. In these vessels it was common to retain for a time large quantities of the molten metals, forming baths, to secure homogeneousness to the Whole of the elements of the metals before commencing the casting ofthe combined metals inthe desired forms. Therefore, I broadly disclaim as being my invention all the foregoing methods and appliances. My invention is distinctive in the particular art of casting chilled tread cast -iron carwheelsthat is to say, I commence to cast the car-Wheel before all the form-manganese in the pouring-ladle has become homogeneous with the molten iron in the pouring-ladle-therein being contradistinctive to all known methods in the manufacture of malleable and cast iron and steel, in which industries, to obtain the best results, it is'absolutely necessary that the elements in the molten metals in furnaces, crucibles, ladles, reservoirs, or other vessels forming a bath shall be homogeneous in their 3 5 portions before the same are cast into the desired forms.

What I claim as being my invention is The method of incorporating a desired quantity of the elements composing rich ferromanganese in varying quantities in the molten iron forming the different parts of chilledtread cast-iron car-wheels, as described,which consists in reducing from a pig or cake condition to different degrees of fineness rich 5 ferro-manganese, then placing the same in a pouring-ladle with molten chill hardening cast iron at the time or just before commencing to till the mold of a carwheel, and before the elements composing the whole of 50 the ferro-manganese in the molten iron in the pouring-ladle have become homogeneous with the same, then pouring the same, and continuing the pouring while an increasing proportion of the ferro-manganese is being melted and disseminated, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

W'ILLIAM VILMINGTON.

\Vitnesses:

ALEXANDER WEBER, LINooLN HAYS. 

